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Moldova's capital and largest city is Chișinău, with approximately a third of the country's population residing in its metro area. Chișinău is Moldova's main industrial and commercial centre, and is located in the middle of the country, on the river Bîc , a tributary of the Dniester .
Chișinău (/ ˌ k ɪ ʃ ɪ ˈ n aʊ / KISH-in-OW, US also / ˌ k iː ʃ iː ˈ n aʊ / kee-shee-NOW; Romanian: [kiʃiˈnəw] ⓘ) is the capital and largest city of Moldova. The city is Moldova's main industrial and commercial centre, and is located in the middle of the country, on the river Bîc , a tributary of the Dniester .
- 123 km² (47 sq mi)
- Moldova
- Overview
- Land
- Relief
- Drainage
- Soils
- Climate
- Plant and animal life
Moldova, landlocked country lying in the northeastern corner of the Balkan region of Europe. Its capital city is Chișinău, located in the south-central part of the country.
Formerly known as Bessarabia, this region was an integral part of the Romanian principality of Moldavia until 1812, when it was ceded to Russia by its suzerain, the sultan of the Ottoman Empire. Bessarabia remained a province of the Russian Empire until after World War I, when it became a part of Greater Romania, and it reverted to Russian control in 1940–41 and again after World War II, when it was joined to a strip of formerly Ukrainian territory, the Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, on the left bank of the Dniester River (Moldovan: Nistru) to form the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic. Upon the collapse of the Soviet Union in August 1991, this republic declared its independence and took the name Moldova. It became a member of the United Nations in 1992.
Moldova is bounded by Ukraine to the north, east, and south and by Romania to the west. The bulk of the republic lies between the great meandering Prut and Dniester rivers.
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Moldova lies to the east of the great arc of the Carpathian Mountains. It is underlain mostly by deep sedimentary rocks covering the southwestern portion of the ancient structural block known as the Russian, or East European, Plain. Harder crystalline rocks outcrop only in the north. Its surface is a hilly plain, with an average elevation of 482 feet (147 metres), cut by a deep network of river valleys, ravines, and gullies.
The uplands of the centre of the republic, the Codri Hills, lie at an average elevation of about 1,150 to 1,300 feet (350 to 400 metres), and the highest point, Mount Bălănești, in the west, reaches 1,407 feet (429 metres). These uplands are interlaced by deep, flat valleys, ravines, and landslide-scoured depressions separated by sharp ridges. Steep forested slopes account for much of the terrain. The Dniester uplands, their eastern slopes forming the high right bank of the Dniester River, border the central uplands on the east and northeast.
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The northern landscape of Moldova is characterized by the level plain of the Bălți steppe (500 to 650 feet [150 to 200 metres] in elevation) and also by uplands averaging twice this elevation, culminating in Vysokaya Hill (1,053 feet [321 metres]). The northern uplands include the strikingly eroded Medobory-Toltry limestone ridges, which border the Prut River.
In the south, the extensive Bugeac Plain is broken by numerous ravines and gullies, while, in the east, left-bank Moldova includes spurs of the Volyn-Podolsk Upland cut into by tributaries of the Dniester.
Moldova has a well-developed network of rivers and streams, all draining south to the Black Sea, but only about one-tenth of these exceed 6 miles (10 km) in length, and even fewer exceed 60 miles (100 km). In fact, many of these are small, shallow streams that dry up during the summer. The Dniester, the rapidly flowing main artery, is navigable alm...
The soils of Moldova are varied and highly fertile, with chernozem—rich black soils—covering three-fourths of the republic. The best-developed chernozem, fostering the growth of grain, tobacco, and sugar beets, is found in the north and in the low-lying parts of the central and Dniester uplands, as well as in the left-bank regions. Soil quality dim...
Moldova’s climate—warm and moderately continental—is characterized by a lengthy frost-free period, a comparatively mild winter, considerable temperature fluctuations, and, in the south, extended droughts. The average annual temperature is in the mid-40s F (about 8 °C) in the north and the low 50s F (about 10 °C) in the south, but the July averages ...
Northern and central Moldova is a forest zone, while a steppe belt crosses the south. There are more than 1,500 species of plants in the republic, with scenic expanses of forest, covering about 1,150 square miles (3,000 square km), of particular importance, especially in the central Codri Hills region. The most common trees are hornbeam and oak, followed by a rich variety including linden, maple, wild pear, and wild cherry. Beech forests are found at the sources of the Ichel and Bâcu rivers. At the beginning of the 19th century, forests covered about one-third of the country. However, a large increase in population severely reduced the forested areas. The extensive deforestation in the 19th century has also resulted in soil erosion, wind damage, a drop in the water table, flooding, desertification, and loss of fauna. Well aware of the raft of problems caused by the loss of so much of Moldova’s woodlands, authorities and scientists began lobbying for increased afforestation plans, and large-scale reforestation projects have been carried out in the republic since the early 1990s. The state’s plans initially met resistance from peasants who were fearful that their agricultural and grazing lands would be converted into less-profitable forests, but by the early 21st century increased crop and livestock yields had demonstrated the program’s success.
Moldova’s steppes originally were grass-covered, but most of them are now cultivated. Lush meadows and reed growths occur in the floodplains of the Dniester and portions of the Prut, while salt-marsh grasslands flourish in the saline valleys of the Cogâlnic, Ialpug, Botna, and lower Prut.
The animal life of Moldova is rich, despite the republic’s small size. Mammals include wild boar, wolves, badgers, wildcats, ermines, martins, and polecats. Roe deer, hare, foxes, and muskrat are of commercial importance. Siberian stags, fallow deer, and spotted deer also were successively introduced and are now prevalent.
There are many species of birds, both resident and migratory. The marshy lower reaches of Moldova’s rivers provide sanctuary for wild geese, migratory ducks, and herons, while white-tailed sea eagles are found in the floodplain forests. The wood lark, jay, song thrush, blackbird, hawk, and long-eared owl frequent the republic’s forests. Plentiful fish supplies include carp (raised in artificial reservoirs), perch, bream, ruff, and pike.
Oct 20, 2017 · What Is The Capital Of Moldova And Where Is It Located? Located in central Moldova, the city of Chișinău which is also known by the name of Kishinev, is the seat of government of the country. The city is located on the banks of the Bâc river which is a tributary of the river Dniester.
- Oishimaya Sen Nag
Mar 14, 2024 · Chișinău, city and capital of Moldova (Moldavia). It is situated along the Bâcu (Byk) River, in the south-central part of the country. The first documentary reference to Chișinău dates to 1466, when it was under the rule of the Moldavian prince Ștefan III.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Chisinau is the capital of Moldova. It is the largest city of the country and its political, administrative, economical and cultural centre. The name Chisinau comes from Romanian word "chisla noua" which reffers to a spring on the corner of Pushkin and Albisoara streets around which the original city was built .
Chișinău is the capital of Moldova. Chișinău is the epicenter of Moldova’s political, economic, and cultural activities. Chisinau, the capital city of Moldova. The city offers a glimpse into past and present Moldovan life, blending modern architecture and historical landmarks.
